Next Friday ..a Boy will learn How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.

25 years! - a quarter of a century! - holy crap! is it possible to devote so much of a lifetime to one band?
(even if the lead singer IS a friend of Popes and Presidents and Nobel Prize nominated?)

This will be the third time I have seen U2 - not many I suppose, over such a period of time...but I fell in love with them, before I had the money to buy the records, let alone see the shows!

CIRCA 1980, SMALLSVILLE, ENGLAND ....

*MS* the geeky, but cool, music fan, leans back against the couch and 'introduces' me to this band, U2,

.....MS - "no-one much knows them yet, but they will be GLOBAL! HUGE! FOREVER!"

.....Me - "yeah, yeah, just like all the others *M* - I get it!" *yawns*

Reaches over to position the 'arm' over the spinning vinyl

.....U2 - "If You Walk Away, Walk Away....I Will Follow"

Oh My God! - I couldn't ignore them - mullet, skinny drain-piped legs, teenage-angst and all!

There was a special something, a "can't-put-your-finger-on-it" something, which drew me in - the 'it' factor.

attITude, confidence, belief, (oh, and that sleeve-pushing-up, rugged jaw thing!)

- it didn't matter that he couldn't really sing, at that point - this guy was going to rule the music-world - of THAT I was sure!

Fast Forward>> to college - "Gloria" in the 'Cellar Bar', 2, maybe 3, of us - requesting and dancing, requesting and dancing... and then...

Fast Forward>> to the Glory Moment...

..."Bad" - Wembley - Live Aid 1985

I can only imagine Bob Geldof's frustration, at this young upstart - over-staying his welcome - jumping off the stage and slow-dancing with a random girl, whilst simultaneously, breaking the hearts of a million unknown females! - (me included!)

...and so it went on, year, upon year, upon year...

I cruise-controlled the never-ending roads of the southwestern deserts, to the gas-station tape of Zooropa..

"And I have no compass
And I have no map
And I have no reasons
No reasons to get back"

I relived the memories through Rattle and Hum's 'Heartland'

"Freeway, like a river
Cuts through this land
Into the side of love
Like a burning spear
And the poison rain
Like dirty tears
Through the ghostranch hills
Death Valley waters"

and now..

Unos, dos, tres...... veinte cinco, years later - here I am,

...leaning back on the couch
...playing "I Will Follow"
...smiling at the memories

..."they will be GLOBAL! HUGE! FOREVER!"

"yeah, yeah *M* - I get it!* - I REALLY, REALLY do!